How to Melt Cheese
There’s nothing like the savory flavor and the hearty texture of melted cheeses. Many casseroles, pies, and other dishes use melted cheese to provide an interesting play in taste, texture, and volume. Here are some types of cheese that you can melt in different ways.
Melting Cheeses
Cheese is a product of processed milk solids and fats found in milk. People have made cheese for centuries not only as a way to preserve and conserve milk, but also as a part of a great culinary tradition (Learn how to make homemade cheese). Almost every country in the world has its own variations of cheese, but cheese-making has its most famous traditions in Europe and North America.
melting cheeseAlmost all cheeses melt when exposed to high heat. The biggest difference between molten cheeses is the texture of the finished product:
Processed cheese. Most cheeses marketed as “cheddar” are processed cheeses. Processed cheeses usually have a very smooth, even consistency when melted, which makes them excellent for sandwiches.
Soft cheeses. Soft cheeses like Brie and Camembert have a high moisture content. They already have a very soft texture similar to melted cheese, and most cooks recommend not exposing it to cooking temperatures so as not to risk damaging the delicate flavor.
Semi-soft cheeses. Semi-soft cheeses like Emmenthaler, Gruyere, and Havarti cheeses are excellent for melting. A popular semi-soft cheese for melting is Mozzarella, which results in a stringy, chewy texture when allowed to cool a bit.
Hard cheeses. Parmesan, Cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheeses are often used for direct melting. Hard cheeses are often mixed with equal proportions of semi-soft cheeses to give the recipe more volume and an interesting play in texture. To aid the melting process, these cheeses are usually grated first.
Melting Methods
There are two ways to melt cheeses:
As an Ingredient
For pizza, French onion soup, and casseroles, the cheese is usually sliced or grated, and incorporated to the recipe at the last minute of cooking. The cheese then melts, which creates a bubbly yet flavorful crust that creates a seal on the final dish. When melting cheese as part of the recipe, make sure that the cheese does not turn completely brown or burned. You may want to turn the heat of the oven, broiler, or toaster down to prevent burning the cheese.
Direct Melting
Hard cheeses and cheeses made for fondue are prepared using direct melting methods. The cheeses are usually sliced into cubes or grated into thick shards before melting. The way the cheeses are sliced or grated can have a great influence in the texture of the dish:
Direct melting. Some hard cheeses are able to withstand direct heat. Simply place the grated cheese into a saucepan over very low heat and stir consistently to prevent burning.
Double boiler. A double boiler (in French cooking, the bain-marie) is often used to melt cheese, and to keep the cheese in a liquid state. A thick glass bowl suited for cooking is placed on top of a pan with simmering or boiling water, and the heat from the steam helps to melt the cheese, and to keep the consistency of the sauce fluid.
Melted cheese is one of those culinary delights that can be used for everything from appetizers to desserts. With these tips, you can prepare all sorts of delicious dishes that use one of the most flavorful ingredients known to cooking. If you enjoy reading this article, you’ll be amazed when you read the Top Ten things you may not know about cheese.